The most notable absence is Zac Funk, who is preparing for his first year of professional hockey after leading the entire CHL in goals scored last year. According to Mike Vogel of the Capitals, he joined veteran Bears defenseman Logan Day, Jon McDonald and Luke Philp among players unable to skate on the first day of camp. All of these prospects are expected to be big players for Todd Nelson’s Hershey Bears this season.
Funk was hit in the face by a ball in the end of the field again and has not played since.
The 21-year-old wing, signed by Washington as a free agent from the Prince George Cougars, lit up the WHL during his final junior season with 123 points (67g, 56a) in 68 games, scoring nearly a goal per game . Funk spent time with the Bears on a tryout late last season, serving as the ace for part of the team’s playoff run. He will likely join Hershey full-time once his preseason begins in October.
Day and McDonald were part of Hershey’s 2023-24 championship roster. Day played a vital role on the team’s blue line, finishing with 25 points (6g, 19a) in 54 games. McDonald never played for Hershey, serving as a depth piece after playing 64 games for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. Philp is new to the organization, having signed a one-year, two-way contract with Washington in early July. The 28-year-old forward has spent the past two seasons in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, making his NHL debut with the club during the 2022-2023 season. After an impressive debut season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs in which he recorded 53 points (29 goals, 24 assists) in 60 games, Philp tore his right Achilles tendon and missed just 15 games last year.
Vogel added that Brett Hyland, the Capitals’ 2023 seventh-round pick, was not on the ice for personal reasons. Also, Rasmus Sandin was absent due to unresolved visa issues in his native Sweden.
Washington captain Alex Ovechkin is also dealing with a minor injury. He did not take the skate team tryouts on Thursday, but he fully participated in all other parts of the day’s practice. Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie are also out with long-term injuries.